Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021		Jun. 30, 2020
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Beginning balance		$ 202,558	$ 143,801	$ 186,928	[1]	$ 162,567
Ending balance		215,554	149,620	215,554		149,620
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(20,154)	(38,747)	(30,792)		(35,850)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications		2,154	(2,844)	12,792		(6,317)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income		0	0	0		0
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income		2,154	(2,844)	12,792		(6,317)
Acquisition Of Noncontrolling Interest			0			576
Ending balance		(18,000)	(41,591)	(18,000)		(41,591)
Retirement Liabilities
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Beginning balance	[2]	(166,112)	(169,129)	(168,064)		(171,057)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications	[2]	0	0	0		0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income	[2]	1,877	1,885	3,829		3,813
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income	[2]	1,877	1,885	3,829		3,813
Acquisition Of Noncontrolling Interest	[2]		0			0
Ending balance	[2]	(164,235)	(167,244)	(164,235)		(167,244)
AOCL Attributable to Shareholders of Crawford & Company
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss [Line Items]
Beginning balance		(186,266)	(207,876)	(198,856)		(206,907)
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications		2,154	(2,844)	12,792		(6,317)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to net income		1,877	1,885	3,829		3,813
Net current period other comprehensive (loss) income		4,031	(959)	16,621		(2,504)
Acquisition Of Noncontrolling Interest			0			576
Ending balance		$ (182,235)	$ (208,835)	$ (182,235)		$ (208,835)

[1] Derived from the audited Consolidated Balance Sheet

[2] (1)       Retirement liabilities reclassified to net income are related to the amortization of actuarial losses and are included in "Other Income (Expense), net" in the Company's unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. See Note 6, "Defined Benefit Pension Plans" for additional details.